Jun 11, 2008
Jun 3, 2008
So you had a bad day?
Try this one: Look in bag and see 2 umbrellas-take one out. Leave the house at 7:20 and realize you still have to buy your ticket and the train leaves in 10 minutes. Start running, with a rucksack containing a laptop on your back. Get to the station and buy ticket...2 minutes to spare. Hike up stairs, over tracks-realize its going to rain all day and maybe today was a bad day to wear white jeans.
See train approach, open door, step in. Move from the new so-slip surface on the platform to slippery lino on the train-one leg goes forward, one leg goes back out the train and in between the platform and train. Feel like a fool, worry about those white jeans and pray the door doesn't close before you extricate yourself from current position. Limp to seat as pain sets in from knee to just above ankle. Piercing hot pain that makes you want to scream and sick to your stomach. Desperately grab water bottle hoping its cold (but no). Defy train rules and prop leg onto seat.
Get to class only to realize my umbrella is broken and worthless.
Borrow some Aleve from classmate (who was late because someone somewhere else fell between the gap only they got stuck). Leave class early, not in the mood to come up with a concept garden for Andrew just having spent all mental energy on final design project. Although he did like my idea and asked me to make a model, photo it and email it to him.
Leave umbrella behind because its broken. Get on tube-stand for 20 of the 27 minute ride. Get on train home-its a short car and stopping at all stations. Why do they do that? Someone on the train smells funny, but I have a seat.
Work furiously on laptop all the way to home stop. Get off train and it is now chucking down rain. (Kids & Au Pair Julie tell me they had to walk home in the rain with 2 broken umbrellas and a flat tire on the jogger.)
See train approach, open door, step in. Move from the new so-slip surface on the platform to slippery lino on the train-one leg goes forward, one leg goes back out the train and in between the platform and train. Feel like a fool, worry about those white jeans and pray the door doesn't close before you extricate yourself from current position. Limp to seat as pain sets in from knee to just above ankle. Piercing hot pain that makes you want to scream and sick to your stomach. Desperately grab water bottle hoping its cold (but no). Defy train rules and prop leg onto seat.
Get to class only to realize my umbrella is broken and worthless.
Borrow some Aleve from classmate (who was late because someone somewhere else fell between the gap only they got stuck). Leave class early, not in the mood to come up with a concept garden for Andrew just having spent all mental energy on final design project. Although he did like my idea and asked me to make a model, photo it and email it to him.
Leave umbrella behind because its broken. Get on tube-stand for 20 of the 27 minute ride. Get on train home-its a short car and stopping at all stations. Why do they do that? Someone on the train smells funny, but I have a seat.
Work furiously on laptop all the way to home stop. Get off train and it is now chucking down rain. (Kids & Au Pair Julie tell me they had to walk home in the rain with 2 broken umbrellas and a flat tire on the jogger.)
Jun 1, 2008
Another Day, Another Protest
Protest! This time it had nothing to do with petrol. The new Mayor of London made enemies with the general public by banning alcohol consumption on public transport to discourage yobs. They got a month notice and Sat at midnight it went into effect. Response? Hundreds of people descended onto the tube (mostly Circle line) and had a party-arriving already drunk or setting up bars in the carraiges. End result-about 17 people were arrested with police officers and Tube drivers being injured in a few fights. Crowds+alcohol=violence and stupidity.
May 27, 2008
Fuel Prices
I know-you guys over in the states think you are paying tons for fuel, but you still have it good. I remember when we lived stateside a few measly protests would be called for (don't buy fuel on a certain day of the week or some such)
Well-we are now paying GBP 1.30 per liter with the exchange rate hovering around 1.98/2 we are well over $10/gallon. Needless to say I will only fill up my car once a month and that costs me almost $200.
Lorry drivers here took matters into their own hands-around 300 of them parked on the roads to protest, closing one of the roads into London for 5 hours-there are hints that another 2p tax rise is soon to hit. This on top of a 60% rise we just had for household utilities with another rumored 60% rise to hit this fall. (Diane you thought my house was cold in April-I think it may be a cold winter as well!)
Well-we are now paying GBP 1.30 per liter with the exchange rate hovering around 1.98/2 we are well over $10/gallon. Needless to say I will only fill up my car once a month and that costs me almost $200.
Lorry drivers here took matters into their own hands-around 300 of them parked on the roads to protest, closing one of the roads into London for 5 hours-there are hints that another 2p tax rise is soon to hit. This on top of a 60% rise we just had for household utilities with another rumored 60% rise to hit this fall. (Diane you thought my house was cold in April-I think it may be a cold winter as well!)
Half-Term
We are now on day 2 of the half-term. It rained Sunday-Monday all day. Today the sun is trying to peak out. Hoping it will not rain the rest of the week. Griffen is having a sleepover for his birthday and I let him invite 5 boys thinking that at least 1 would be away for the week. So far they are all coming. Plan is to set up the tent and let them sleep outside with Jason. Pray for clear skies!
May 24, 2008
Bank Holiday
We have a bank holiday here this Monday-no reason just a day off. The kids also have their half term break this week. We had the brilliant idea to go camping in Devon for a few days-just a few though because I have my final project hand in next Monday (its for part of the grounds at Hedingham Castle, a well preserved Norman keep is on the grounds.
Jason has been away all week and I have been busy with school and the Chelsea Flower show (both attending and working). He seemed to think we would be able to pack up the car this morning and we'd be off before noon. The older kids actually packed themselves, so that was helpful. However, we realized that Jason & I don't have sleeping bags and the au pair is using the extra bedding and I am not about to take my white bedding camping with rain in the forecast. So we will have to stop off on the way to buy one.
That was problem 1. Problem 2-Jason just now realized how far away Devon is. Five hours without traffic, and this is the busiest weekend of the year, so it will be more like 8+. Much to the kids' dissappointment we ditch the idea of camping very quickly and tell them we will pitch the tent in the garden and go to the beach instead.
We stop off for breakfast atThe Comfort Cafe and begin what should've been a two hour drive. What do you know-its an A-road (1 lane each way) and full of caravans and other travelers. Half-way there the traffic wasn't even moving, so we turned around and went home.
Jason took the kids to the store to buy squirt guns and he & I took at nap after our hectic week. Next year we will leave on Thursday or Friday instead.
Jason has been away all week and I have been busy with school and the Chelsea Flower show (both attending and working). He seemed to think we would be able to pack up the car this morning and we'd be off before noon. The older kids actually packed themselves, so that was helpful. However, we realized that Jason & I don't have sleeping bags and the au pair is using the extra bedding and I am not about to take my white bedding camping with rain in the forecast. So we will have to stop off on the way to buy one.
That was problem 1. Problem 2-Jason just now realized how far away Devon is. Five hours without traffic, and this is the busiest weekend of the year, so it will be more like 8+. Much to the kids' dissappointment we ditch the idea of camping very quickly and tell them we will pitch the tent in the garden and go to the beach instead.
We stop off for breakfast atThe Comfort Cafe and begin what should've been a two hour drive. What do you know-its an A-road (1 lane each way) and full of caravans and other travelers. Half-way there the traffic wasn't even moving, so we turned around and went home.
Jason took the kids to the store to buy squirt guns and he & I took at nap after our hectic week. Next year we will leave on Thursday or Friday instead.
Apr 2, 2008
New Word
I learned a new word today...as I was reading through Kaitlyn's paperwork for her Brownie Pack Holiday (weekend away from home at a scout camp), I came across the word 'tuck.' This was on the list of things NOT to bring along with electronics, virtual pets and mobile phones. Upon further reading I see 'no tuck' again but this time an accompanying message stating that they can bring a maximum of GBP 4 and that plenty of sweets and treats will be provided. Aha-must mean eatable treats.
Mar 23, 2008
Mar 11, 2008
Planes, trains and automobiles....
Another commuting day from hell. We knew a storm was coming and thought we planned ahead. I packed a pair of socks and knickers in my pack just in case I had to stay over. Got up at 5:45 am so I could catch the 7:25 fast train to Liverpool street, giving me a 2 hour cushion to get to class. The winds were blowing, the rain was coming down...checked the national rail web site and it said all the trains could be delayed or cancelled at the last minute due to the weather and all were on speed restrictions because of the winds. Checked Jason's flight and his wasn't posted yet but so far nothing was leaving London City-all cancelled.
So-Jason decided to book a Eurostar ticket instead. The train going thru our village goes to Liverpool Street, and the Eurostar leaves from King's Cross. Jason thought we could drive together to Royston (a town about 20 minutes or so away) as that train went to King's Cross. I though we should just catch the train here. I lost. We got to Royston only to discover that there was no power between Cambridge and there, so no trains and no word when they would resume. The agent told us the trains were turning around at Letchworth and we should go there. Another 20 minute drive, car park is full so Jason drops me off to go look for parking. As I run into the station I am told no trains here either. So I called Jason and told him to come back-in the meantime the agent tells us a train is going to Baldock. At that point we decided it was so late we would never find parking so we would drive towards London until we can catch a tube line. That is until we hear the traffic report and see the cars sitting on the road going nowhere fast.
So back on the road to our house, I called a classmate and asked her to look up trains from our village-the web site is so jammed I can't access it on my phone. It looks like they are running so we go home. Jason forgot something anyway and I needed a wee by then. We left a key for the nanny to go get the car from the station because only 1 hour parking is left, go buy our tickets only to be told there is a tree on the line and the trains are delayed. A train does come in and we are told it will go to Cambridge (10 minutes) and return going onto London. So we drive back home rather than leave the car, at which point Vania is back from taking the kids to school-so she drops us off.
At 9:40 a 4 car train arrives already full. We are just happy to be moving and stand the 1 hour 20 minute (slow train) ride to London. It stops at every station, with the conductors yelling at us to 'move on down the cars please, there are more people waiting to board the train,' The only place to move is into the luggage racks. We get to London at 11- almost 4 hours after we left the house. It took Jason longer to get to London that it took him to go from London to Brussels. Jason missed his 10 am train, I missed the first hour of class.
Class was a waste-some guy telling us how wonderful Google Sketch-up and VectorWorks are, but not telling us how to use them. In the middle of lunch the VP came in to say the afternoon session was cancelled as the tutor was stuck in traffic and would not make it. What a waste of a day.
So-Jason decided to book a Eurostar ticket instead. The train going thru our village goes to Liverpool Street, and the Eurostar leaves from King's Cross. Jason thought we could drive together to Royston (a town about 20 minutes or so away) as that train went to King's Cross. I though we should just catch the train here. I lost. We got to Royston only to discover that there was no power between Cambridge and there, so no trains and no word when they would resume. The agent told us the trains were turning around at Letchworth and we should go there. Another 20 minute drive, car park is full so Jason drops me off to go look for parking. As I run into the station I am told no trains here either. So I called Jason and told him to come back-in the meantime the agent tells us a train is going to Baldock. At that point we decided it was so late we would never find parking so we would drive towards London until we can catch a tube line. That is until we hear the traffic report and see the cars sitting on the road going nowhere fast.
So back on the road to our house, I called a classmate and asked her to look up trains from our village-the web site is so jammed I can't access it on my phone. It looks like they are running so we go home. Jason forgot something anyway and I needed a wee by then. We left a key for the nanny to go get the car from the station because only 1 hour parking is left, go buy our tickets only to be told there is a tree on the line and the trains are delayed. A train does come in and we are told it will go to Cambridge (10 minutes) and return going onto London. So we drive back home rather than leave the car, at which point Vania is back from taking the kids to school-so she drops us off.
At 9:40 a 4 car train arrives already full. We are just happy to be moving and stand the 1 hour 20 minute (slow train) ride to London. It stops at every station, with the conductors yelling at us to 'move on down the cars please, there are more people waiting to board the train,' The only place to move is into the luggage racks. We get to London at 11- almost 4 hours after we left the house. It took Jason longer to get to London that it took him to go from London to Brussels. Jason missed his 10 am train, I missed the first hour of class.
Class was a waste-some guy telling us how wonderful Google Sketch-up and VectorWorks are, but not telling us how to use them. In the middle of lunch the VP came in to say the afternoon session was cancelled as the tutor was stuck in traffic and would not make it. What a waste of a day.
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